Ford product boss Derrick Kuzak has laid down a mandate saying all newly refreshed Ford products must offer best-in-class fuel economy. With the restyled and repowered 2010 Ford Fusion just around the corner, this mandate obviously falls on the shoulders of Ford's mid-sized offering. The Fusion mileage champ will be fitted with a 2.5-liter four cylinder mated to the 6F35 six-speed automatic transmission we first tested in the 2009 Ford Escape.

While we're not quite willing to call this a full review, we did get some seat time with a…
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Aside from making bold proclamations of "best in class," no actual numbers have been released yet. Given the aero upgrades and new powertrain, better fuel economy can only be expected out the Fusion, but we'll have to see if Ford delivers on its promise. Particularly since best-in-class fuel economy for mid-size sedans is bound to be a rather competitive benchmark in the next few years. [AutoNews Sub. req.]